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splproductions

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 18, 2011
8
0
I own a 15" MBP (non retina) and am trying to get an idea of what it would be like doing my day-to-day work on the 13" Macbook Air.

I've scaled the windows on my screen to the screen dimensions of the Macbook Air.

However, in regards to resolution... My 15" MBP is 1440x900, and the 13" MBA is also 1440x900. Does this mean that, assuming I've scaled a window on my screen down to the MBA's screen size, that when using an actual MBA, I would have more useable space because everything on the screen would be a little bit smaller?

I hope that makes sense...
 

lamboman

macrumors 6502
Aug 13, 2011
394
2
Everything on the MBA will be smaller but you will also have a smaller display physically (of course). You are simply shrinking everything down. This means that text will be a tad sharper as well. You won't have any more real estate to play with.
 

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,619
4,504
New Jersey Pine Barrens
I hope that makes sense...

Not really. :D

I have a 2008 15" MBP and got a 13" MBA a couple years ago to replace it. As you note, the pixel dimensions of the screens are exactly the same. So everything will be the same, only smaller. If you want to get an idea of how it will look, just move your 15" MBP a foot or so farther away from your face than normal.

If you run the Migration Assistant and copy everything from the old MBP to the new MBA, your desktop will be identical in fact - folders and icons will be arranged the same, the dock will be in the same place with all the same icons. It will be identical to your MBP desktop, just smaller. I remember thinking that was kind of cool when I got the MBA.

Now personally I think the quality of my 2008 15" MBP screen was superior in terms of color and viewing angle and it also had a matte finish. I still use it every day to watch videos. Meanwhile, I have replaced the 2011 13" MBA with a 2013 11" MBA that I really like. But that's another story. :)
 
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